Wellness should not feel exclusive, but for many, it still does. Between cost, access, and a culture that does not always reflect everyone, barriers remain high. As a modern fitness brand committed to progress, Propel saw both an opportunity and a responsibility to shift that narrative through the “Propel Your City Project.” In year two, in partnership with Michael B. Jordan, the brand set out to expand access to fitness and bring communities together through movement. At the heart of the project was celebrating and empowering local leaders, the neighborhood heroes already uplifting their communities.
Building on the momentum of 2023, we executed a 360° campaign that launched with a national TVC anthem, extended across social and out-of-home, and came to life through on-the-ground activations.
In 2024, the initiative went coast to coast, welcoming Brick City Rowing, a new partner from Michael B. Jordan’s hometown of Newark, alongside community fitness collectives in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Houston.
We answered the call to:
Expand awareness through a full-funnel, multi-platform effort that reached audiences wherever they moved.
Galvanize participation and engagement with the Propel Your City rallying cry, turning cultural connection into lasting brand love.
Build a content ecosystem that advanced Propel’s purpose and created a cultural archive that lived long after the final post.
Champion community wellness organizations by providing resources, recognition, and national visibility.
These were not just touchpoints. They were affirmations of visibility, value, and belonging, bringing Propel closer to those actively shaping wellness and fitness in their communities.
This year was about continued bridge building. Propel, as experts in hydration, joined forces with community partners who are experts in placemaking.
Our challenge was threefold:
Last year was the introduction. This year was the evolution. We reconnected with standout partners, including WalkGood LA (Los Angeles), BLK Beetles (Houston), and Atlanta Run Club, and welcomed nine newcomers including: Brick City Rowing, based in Michael B. Jordan’s hometown of Newark.
Propel provided the resources and platform to bring each grassroots partner’s vision to life. Every story we captured, from real-world experiences to digital storytelling, reflected cultural truth and a shared commitment to progress.
Execution
We opened with a moment designed to propel a movement.
TVC Spot: Our broadcast film reintroduced the campaign with Michael B. Jordan as a returned narrator, offering a heartfelt ode to the everyday motivators, unsung coaches, and the starting lines that shape us.
That hero film was a spark to a full-funnel ecosystem connecting awareness to action, and content to community.
Branded OOH: Our high-impact placements across Newark, LA, Houston, and Atlanta invited locals to join the movement. Each build featured a QR code driving to a microsite for free class registration.
Multi-City Pop-Ups: With the help of our hero community partners, we launched month-long fitness hubs by transforming public spaces into no-cost, no-intimidation zones for movement.
Beyond just an activation site, they became the living studio to capture content for our larger storytelling arc.
Branded Social Content
Defying typical campaign standards, our entire ecosystem was shot on 35mm film to create an authentic and accessible look and feel. Propel embraced bringing richness and depth to the stories of community partners, moving their neighborhoods forward.
By documenting wellness in its truest form, the Propel Your City Project helped position the brand as both an advocate and active participant in the spaces shaping what fitness looks like next.
"I want people to know fitness and wellness communities like ours need support to keep going... Propel has had our back, and because of that we’ve been able to keep building something special." – Etienne Maurice, Co-Founder, WalkGood LA
“Since teaming up with Propel, we’ve seen a noticeable increase in engagement. Our events attract new faces—people encouraged to join because they see a professionally supported, welcoming environment.” – James Ro, Founder, ATLANTA RUN CLUB OR
That kind of response became our campaign’s truest measure of success. Still, the numbers tell a compelling story:
21M+ Instagram views on the Brick City Rowing hero film, driven in part by a collab post with Michael B. Jordan
~4M views across supporting docu-style vignettes
~163M OOH impressions across spotlight markets
4,294 class attendees across 200 free classes in four cities
45,000 Propel bottles sampled in community
+12% lift in brand affinity vs. YA among key growth cohorts
Beyond impressions, there was real traction:
BLK Beetles used the support to expand programming and awareness, earning a spot in a competitive Community Lab Accelerator, where they were awarded an additional $85k in sponsorship dollars.
Both WalkGood LA and Brick City Rowing scaled operations, with WalkGood LA opening a permanent studio equipped with a Propel Fridge.
Atlanta Run Club grew in attendance, engagement, and collaborations.
We unlocked a new kind of legacy: one between brand and community. It was never about a single finish line, but about fueling the movement. Propelling possibility, one story at a time.
